According to the whole-school approach to restorative justice (RJ) in schools, staff and administration can bring the 10-ways to live restoratively into how they approach their work, their colleagues and the students they serve.
Additionally, there is an RJ-KPU Group that you can join. If you are interested in joining this group, please email alana.abramson@kpu.ca to be added to the mailing list.
The RJ-KPU group (formed in November 2020) developed an inventory tool to assist a department to self-assess how they already respond restoratively and relationally when harm is caused; what restorative and relational practices they engage in as a department; and, there are question prompts to spark further growth and change in this area.
The RJ-KPU group also strives to promote restorative justice approaches by hosting an activity during Restorative Justice Week. Restorative Justice Week is an annual event dedicated to raising awareness, fostering understanding, and promoting the use of restorative justice approaches within communities, schools, and justice systems. Restorative Justice Week is recognized every year in the third week of November.
Past Restorative Justice Week events
- November 20, 2025 – KPU Criminology students facilitated talking circles, presented their creative restorative justice posters and the TED Talk Our Story of Rape and Reconciliation was presented.
- November 21, 2024 – Dr. Asaduallah shared highlights of his research on restorative justice in Bangladesh, India and Nepal. Ms. Burki, President of the UR Restorative Justice Club, shared how students have been advancing restorative justice at the University of Regina.
November 24, 2023 – RJ at KPU Lunch ‘n Learn presented by Dr. Alana Abramson and Jennifer Jordan. Access the slides
Other Restorative Justice Events
- March 14, 2024 – Guest Presenter Jane Piper, a rape survivor from London, Ontario speaks about how restorative justice helped her to rebuild a life of wholeness by engaging in surrogate healing conversations. After discovering that the man who harmed her was not yet ready for accountability, Jane began a quest to find answers by speaking to others who have caused severe harm.
- November 23, 2018 – #metoo, Sexualized Violence & Restorative Justice On Campus presentation delivered by Alan Edwards and Jennifer Jordan. KPU Criminology students sold RJ-themed artwork.
Initiatives Advancing RJ at KPU
From 2020 – 2023, there was much work being done which included growing and maintaining RJ-KPU and RJ-PSEC. In particular, Alana Abramson and Jennifer Jordan worked on the National Restorative Justice Symposium (NRJS) 2 years in a row, brought a training to KPU (Alan Edwards in February 2021); and engaged in ST2, Student Academic Integrity and ST7, Student Conduct (Non-Academic) policy work.
“Restorative justice in education is not a program but a way of being in relationship." - Evans & Vaandaring, 2016, p. 11